


I Say Love, It Is A Flower (And You, Its Only Seed)

by CherriesAndRaindrops



Category: Something Rotten! - Kirkpatrick/Kirkpatrick/O'Farrell
Genre: Abusive Parents, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canon Era, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:07:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27219892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CherriesAndRaindrops/pseuds/CherriesAndRaindrops
Summary: Will finds a distraught Portia on his doorstep late one night.
Relationships: William Shakespeare & Portia Brooks (Something Rotten!)
Kudos: 7





	I Say Love, It Is A Flower (And You, Its Only Seed)

**Author's Note:**

> TW: Mentions of abusive parents.
> 
> The only thing that keeps me going at this point is my “Will-takes-Portia-under-his-wing” AU. Also there’s not many fics in this fandom so I’ve decided to try and help change that.

It was a quiet late autumn night in London. The sky was pitch black, only illuminated by bright stars that looked like thousands upon thousands of beautiful candles. The streets looked like intimidating, endless abysses of darkness. Not a single soul was awake.

Except for one very certain bard, of course.

Will sat in his study, his quilled scratching out words onto the pages of his journal as he rested his head in his hand. He wanted to go to bed, but he was on such a roll right now, his imagination bursting with ideas for what to put in his play. He didn’t wanna stop.

But he struggled to keep his eyes open. He could felt exhaustion wash over him like a huge wave, and it was getting harder and harder to keep himself awake. He felt his eyes finally shut...

And then there was a knock on the door.

His hazel eyes fluttered opened and he jolted upright. He just sat in his chair for a moment, the hypothetical gears in his brain not turning.

The knocking sound returned, more frantically this time.

Who in their right mind would be wanting to see him at this time of night?

He groaned, standing up and stretching. He began to assume the worst as he walked out of his study and into the massive parlor that led to the front door. Who could be at his doorstep? A crazy fan? An assassin? An official about to press charges against him for acts of plagiarism that he totally did not commit?

He felt himself getting more and more nervous with every step he took, but his curiosity got the best of him. So when he finally reached the rather large mahogany door, he opened it.

”What the hell do you want-“

His expression instantly shifted from annoyance to concern as he saw who was waiting for him.

There, tears streaming down her face from her bloodshot eyes, with the ends of her white petticoat covered in dirt, was-

....”Portia?”

_”Please let me stay with you for the night!”_ She cried, clutching his shirt.

”...of course, darling.” Will responded slowly, trying to wrap his dazed head around what exactly was going on. “Now come inside, you must be freezing.”

He gently grabbed her hand and pulled her inside, making sure to close the door behind them. He could feel his heart twist as he heard Portia whimpering.

He sat her down on a couch and wrapped his squeezed her shoulders. “Tell me what happened.” He encouraged.

”My... my father-“ Portia stammered, barely getting out words through her tears. “He found my poems, and, and, and-“

”And what?”

”He burned them!” The girl wailed. She buried her face into Will’s shirt, and he could feel her tears seep through it.

”Oh, darling...” He cooed pitifully, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her into a firm yet gentle embrace. He could feel his heart twist as he heard her muffled sobs. He had only known Portia for a few months, but she was one of the sweetest people he’d ever met. She didn’t deserve any of this.

_”I hate him so much!”_ She suddenly snapped. _”All the other girls get to wear fancy dresses and go to balls and sleep around with whoever they want while I have to stay locked up inside and get slapped around!”_

”I know, I know...” Will murmured, gently tracing circles along her back. “Everything’s gonna be just fine.”

The two of them just sat there for a few minutes, Portia’s quiet whimpers ringing out throughout the parlor. Will continued to hold her, trying to think of ways to calm her down and shushing her like a mother would to her crying child.

He felt like there was nothing he could do to help her, and it made him feel absolutely terrible.

After a while, Portia went completely silent, and just shook in his arms.

”Are you feeling any better?” Will inquired sympathetically, finally letting go of her. She shrugged, wiping her eyes with her white sleeve.

At that moment, he finally got an idea on how to make her happier.

He reached out his hand to her. ”Would you like to stargaze with me?” He asked, giving her a warm look.

She took his hand, remaining quiet.

He pulled her off the couch led her up the large staircase, then down the right side of the hall, when they reached a little balcony with a emerald green bench.

The two both sat on it in complete silence for a few moments.

”I’m sorry, Will.”

”For what, love?”

”For bothering you this late.”

”Don’t be sorry, I’m happy you came to me.”

Portia nodded. “It’s just...” She sighed, lowering her head to face the garnet floor. “My father never listens to me, so poetry was my only way of expressing myself. Writing it was the only thing that really made me feel good.” She explained. “And without it, I probably would be buried somewhere by now.”

That broke Will’s heart into a million tiny pieces.

But then, yet another amazing idea came to him.

”Tell you what,” He said. “If your really despise your dad that much, you can stay with me for however long you like, and you can write all the poetry you want, deal?”

”But...” Portia looked up at him. “But what if he finds out?”

Will smirked. “Well then, he’ll be hearing a few choice words from me.” He reassured, making Portia giggle.

That was one of the most pleasant sounds the bard had ever heard.

Portia leaned into his side and he wrapped an arm around her. She cooed contently, trying to find constellations within the stars above her.

She had never felt so safe and so appreciated in her life.

—

It didn’t take long for Will to look to his side to find Portia fast asleep, finally looking somewhat at peace.

He smiled, scooped her up in his arms, and quietly returned to the hallway.

Portia was always such a cheerful, kind girl. There was never a day where she didn’t have a hopeful look in her crystal blue eyes. She loved her friends, she loved writing, she loved the world around her.

She didn’t deserve to be treated so horribly.

Will finally reached the small guest room, and placed her on the bed. As he tucked her in, he couldn’t help but examined her. Her golden blonde hair haphazardly laid on the pillow, and mouth was closed in a tight frown.

She had been breaking all these years under all the pressure from her father, and now it was finally taking it’s toll, like a glass bottle thrown onto the unforgiving floor. Soon, her happy blue eyes would be dull, and the edges of her mouth would never turn upward, and some of the strays of her beautiful hair would turn light grey.

And there was nothing Will could do about it.

He didn’t get much sleep that night, and woke up with tears on his pillow.


End file.
